A wide ethnic mix of people settled Glendale in the late 1800s, providing the city with a rich and diverse history and culture. Glendale was a barren expanse of desert until the Arizona Canal Company hired William J. Murphy to build a 44-mile long canal from the Salt River to the Northeast Valley. The resulting flow of water into the region brought new agricultural opportunities and opened the way for settlement. Initially colonized by Anglo-Saxon Protestant farmers, the area later saw an influx of people from Mexican, Japanese, Chinese and Russian origins. Although they had different backgrounds, these early settlers all came to benefit from the offerings of the New World and all contributed to the dynamic ethnic mix still found in the city.

Glendale has become one of the fastest growing cities in an already booming metropolitan area. Since the 1950s, the Glendale area has exploded in population, housing, education, arts and culture, as well as industry and commerce. Employment opportunities in construction, health care and manufacturing are abundant. Luke Air Force Base is Glendale’s largest employer, contributing more than $1.5 billion to the Arizona economy. Glendale hosts numerous major festivals to create interest in its downtown district and residents and visitors alike enjoy the many special events. More than 400,000 people attend the annual Glendale Glitters Spectacular, Glendale Chocolate Affaire and the Glendale Jazz and Blues Festival. The Glendale library system is the center of culture and art for the city. The Main Library houses a $1 million public art collection and hosts several musical and ethnic performances and plays each year.

Glendale offers numerous parks providing many facilities. In addition to the many neighborhood parks, there are eight larger community parks and three regional parks, including Grand Canal Linear Park and Sahuaro Ranch Park. Thunderbird Park is a conservation project that protects the diverse vegetation and wildlife indigenous to the area. The city also has two nine-hole executive golf courses, Glen Lakes and Desert Mirage. A wide ethnic mix of people settled Glendale in the late 1800s, providing the city with a rich and diverse history and culture. Glendale was a barren expanse of desert until the Arizona Canal Company hired William J. Murphy to build a 44-mile long canal from the Salt River to the Northeast Valley. The resulting flow of water into the region brought new agricultural opportunities and opened the way for settlement. Initially colonized by Anglo-Saxon Protestant farmers, the area later saw an influx of people from Mexican, Japanese, Chinese and Russian origins. Although they had different backgrounds, these early settlers all came to benefit from the offerings of the New World and all contributed to the dynamic ethnic mix still found in the city.

Glendale has become one of the fastest growing cities in an already booming metropolitan area. Since the 1950s, the Glendale area has exploded in population, housing, education, arts and culture, as well as industry and commerce. Employment opportunities in construction, health care and manufacturing are abundant. Luke Air Force Base is Glendale’s largest employer, contributing more than $1.5 billion to the Arizona economy. Glendale hosts numerous major festivals to create interest in its downtown district and residents and visitors alike enjoy the many special events. More than 400,000 people attend the annual Glendale Glitters Spectacular, Glendale Chocolate Affaire and the Glendale Jazz and Blues Festival. The Glendale library system is the center of culture and art for the city. The Main Library houses a $1 million public art collection and hosts several musical and ethnic performances and plays each year.

Glendale offers numerous parks providing many facilities. In addition to the many neighborhood parks, there are eight larger community parks and three regional parks, including Grand Canal Linear Park and Sahuaro Ranch Park. Thunderbird Park is a conservation project that protects the diverse vegetation and wildlife indigenous to the area. The city also has two nine-hole executive golf courses, Glen Lakes and Desert Mirage.